The present invention relates to a control element housing. In addition, the present invention relates to a door interior trim equipped with this control element housing.
Known control element housings have a front face, a rear face lying opposite the front face, a first side face, and a second side face lying opposite the first side face. The two side faces connect the front face to the rear face. Also part of the known control element housings are a bottom face which connects the two side faces and the rear face together, and a top face lying opposite the bottom face and connecting the front face, the first side face, the second side face and the rear face. The control element housing also usually contains electronics which can be activated by a user via control elements arranged on at least one face, in particular the front face. Thus it is known to perform an adjustment of a vehicle seat, in particular the rake of its backrest, by means of a control element arranged on a door interior trim of a motor vehicle, or in the case of heated seats, to cause a change in temperature of the seat base. Because of the design or structure, the known control element housing is formed rigidly. This means that, in particular in the fitted state, it is only poorly or very limitedly deformable, even though a defined deformability would be desirable.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to create a control element housing which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages.
This object is achieved by a control element housing of the type described above, wherein the bottom face and/or the top face of the control element housing has or have at least one structural weakening which allows the control element housing to be deformed under mechanical load. By the targeted provision of predefined structural weakenings, it is advantageously possible to achieve a defined deformability of the control element housing according to the invention.
A simple solution, which is in particular preferred for technical production reasons, is achieved if the structural weakening is a recess or a material thinning on the bottom face and/or top face of the control element housing.
A particularly simple and hence preferred embodiment of the control element housing according to the invention is achieved if the structural weakening comprises an L-shape situated in the plane of the bottom face and/or the top face.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the control element housing according to the invention, it is provided that the first leg of the L-shape is arranged substantially parallel to the first side face and/or the second side face, and the second leg of the L-shape is arranged substantially parallel to the rear face.
For further precision or further improved distribution of the force flow, allowing the deformation of the control element according to the invention, along the faces comprising the structural weakening, it may be provided that the recess and/or material thinning is formed round, in particular circular round, or triangular, in particular with rounded edges.
For the case where the structural weakening is a recess, the components, for example electronic components, in the control element housing according to the invention may advantageously be protected from moisture or dust by at least one seal sealing the recess.
In some cases, a control element may in practice be exposed to severe deformation. To avoid its partial or complete destruction in this case, according to the invention it is provided that the rear face is configured so as to be movable relative to the first side face, the second side face, the bottom face and the top face.
A particularly simple construction of the control element housing according to the invention is achieved if the rear face comprises at least one locking device which engages in recesses of the bottom face and/or the top face. In addition, such a control element housing may be produced easily since the individual elements can be pushed together.
A particularly even force flow in the control element housing according to the invention is achieved if at least two structural weakenings are provided which are arranged symmetrically to the height plane of the control element housing. This applies in particular in the case that the control element housing is subjected to a bending moment about its vertical axis.
The control element housing according to the invention may be arranged on a door interior trim particularly easily by means of locking devices arranged on the first side face and on the second side face.
The above-mentioned object is also achieved by a door interior trim which comprises a control element housing according to the invention of the type disclosed above. The advantages associated with the control element housing according to the invention apply similarly to a correspondingly equipped door interior trim. It is pointed out that the term “door interior trim” in the sense of the present disclosure means not only a door trim of a motor vehicle, but any form of side trim of a motor vehicle.
The above-mentioned features of the present invention may be combined with each other where possible, even if not explicitly described as such above.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.